# Intimate brother-sister relationships in literature--healthy & otherwise **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007 "2008-05-29T13:58:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/1 "2008-05-29T13:58:38Z")
Before anyone goes all freakazoid on me, I do NOT mean sexually intimate. Keep your incest to yourself: I’m looking for examples, primarily in fiction, of brothers & sisters whose involvement in one another’s emotional lives is a trifle more intense than normal, but still basically healthy. The first example that comes to mind is Tom & Savannah from _The Prince of Tides_, but I’m ambivalent on whether that should count as healthy. On the one hand, Savannah is definitely better off for having Tom in her life; on the other hand, she is far from an example of stability. Anybody have a better example? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/2 "2008-05-29T14:08:01Z")
_Flowers in the At_…oh, sorry. You said _not_ sexual… _The Member of the Wedding_, although that’s more of a one-way intimacy, in that Frankie imagines that she’s much more of a factor in her brother’s and his bride’s lives than she actually is. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/3 "2008-05-29T14:13:13Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] _Flowers in the At_…oh, sorry. You said _not_ sexual… [/quote] Did I mention I’m working on a theme for July’s book club picks, and thus want books that (a) appeal to adults, and (b) do not suck? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/4 "2008-05-29T14:14:22Z")
Ada by Nabo…oops, need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/5 "2008-05-29T14:17:58Z")
A rather weird one is Yuri Zhivago and Tonia Gromeko in Dr Zhivago. They are raised together in a sibling relationship but later get married. The Gromekos are presented in the book as “distant relatives” of Zhivago’s mother, but Lean’s movie changed it to Yuri & Tonia’s mothers being “good friends.” ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/6 "2008-05-29T14:20:49Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] Keep your incest to yourself [/QUOTE] Well, fine, be that way. 😛 Off the top of my head, there’s a lot of loving brother-sister relationships in the Brother Grimms’ tales–_The Seven Swans_, for example, where the sister ultimately braves burning at the stake to save her brothers. Ophelia and Laertes in _Hamlet_ don’t have a complete set of marbles between them, but their relationship seems to be pretty affectionate. How about Sebastian and Viola in _Twelfth Night_? ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/7 "2008-05-29T14:51:14Z")
The Wimseys have a good sibling relationship depicted in _Clouds of Witness_. Do you want specifically brother and sister, or any sibling? 'Cause the sisters in _Pride and Prejudice_ have a good relationship. Actually, now that I think about it, while the Bennett sisters have a good relationship (except for Lydia, I suppose), Mr. and Miss Bingley have an interesting, intimate, though somewhat dysfunctional relationship. There are a lot more children’s books that I can think of. The template for a British children’s book seems to be four siblings, two brothers and two sisters. The oldest sister is the mother-substitute, making sure all the younger children get their tea regularly. Her name is Susan. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/8 "2008-05-29T14:53:13Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] A rather weird one is Yuri Zhivago and Tonia Gromeko in Dr Zhivago. They are raised together in a sibling relationship but later get married. [/QUOTE] Likewise with Dr. Frankenstein and his step-sister, which creeped me out more than the monster. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/9 "2008-05-29T15:02:51Z")
Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert in _Anne of Green Gables_. Neither of them ever married (Matthew out of utter shyness, and Marilla out of pride, we learn), and so they just kept living together, eventually adopting Anne. What we see of their relationship is rather sweet – each tolerant about each other’s foibles, but willing to call one another on their faults if one goes too far. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/10 "2008-05-29T15:05:41Z")
Although they were not biologically brothers, and the relationship may not qualify as “healthy,” you might take a look at Walter Mosley’s _Fortunate Son_. I found it very moving, by which I mean I cried about 20 times reading that book. _The Poisonwood Bible_ by Barbara Kingsolver has some good portrayals of relationships among sisters. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/11 "2008-05-29T15:19:29Z")
Charlie and Camilla in **The Secret History**. Though if I remember correctly, there was some sex going on between them as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/12 "2008-05-29T15:22:51Z")
And murder, and alcoholism. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/13 "2008-05-29T15:30:46Z")
Two from John Irving: Franny & John in [Hotel New Hampshire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hotel_New_Hampshire) Duncan Garp & Ellen James in [The World According to Garp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_According_to_Garp). Ellen is taken in at age 19 by the Garps, and she and Duncan (and Duncan’s sister Jenny) become “thick as thieves.” Duncan and Ellen maintain a “lifelong flirtation.” ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/14 "2008-05-29T15:38:04Z")
Don’t Holden Caufield’s feelings about his little sister (feelings as in feeling that she is one of the children “coming through the rye”) play heavy on the theme of _Catcher in the Rye_? It’s been a long while since I read it. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/15 "2008-05-29T15:42:04Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Don’t Holden Caufield’s feelings about his little sister (feelings as in feeling that she is one of the children “coming through the rye”) play heavy on the theme of _Catcher in the Rye_? It’s been a long while since I read it. [/QUOTE] I thought, even when he was feeling the most tender towards Phoebe about something she did or said, or something that happened to her, it was in a protective vein, especially overlayed with his cynicism and jadedness about the world. It’s been a while since I read it though, also. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/16 "2008-05-29T15:48:43Z")
Simon and River Tam from **Firefly**. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/17 "2008-05-29T16:00:55Z")
[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting] I thought, even when he was feeling the most tender towards Phoebe about something she did or said, or something that happened to her, it was in a protective vein, especially overlayed with his cynicism and jadedness about the world. It’s been a while since I read it though, also. [/QUOTE] Yeah, that’s what I thought too. But I thought those sort of feelings (the way that Holden’s feelings for/about/towards his sister played such a huge role in his emotional state throughout the book) were what the OP was looking for. ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/18 "2008-05-29T16:23:33Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] Yeah, that’s what I thought too. But I thought those sort of feelings (the way that Holden’s feelings for/about/towards his sister played such a huge role in his emotional state throughout the book) were what the OP was looking for. [/QUOTE] You’re right. I forgot to elaborate to say my take on the intensity of emotion was more about Holden and his solipsism, and his feelings of protectiveness, jadedness and sentimentality (especially towards Ally) were more about him alone and the symptoms of his impending (mini-)breakdown. While he did really care, the intensity, to me, was about something else. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/19 "2008-05-29T16:31:14Z")
Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007/20 "2008-05-29T16:42:57Z")
[QUOTE=Reno Nevada] Do you want specifically brother and sister, or any sibling? 'Cause the sisters in _Pride and Prejudice_ have a good relationship. Actually, now that I think about it, while the Bennett sisters have a good relationship (except for Lydia, I suppose), Mr. and Miss Bingley have an interesting, intimate, though somewhat dysfunctional relationship. [/QUOTE] I like the relationship between Fanny and William Price in _Mansfield Park_. They’re a very close brother and sister who truly love each other and are deeply concerned about the other’s welfare and happiness. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/intimate-brother-sister-relationships-in-literature-healthy-otherwise/451007.md?page=2)